In the field of packaging it is often required to provide consumers with a package comprising multiple primary product containers, such multi-packs are desirable for shipping and distribution and for display of promotional information.
It is known to automate packaging of the primary product into a package by placing that primary product into a carton formed from a carton blank.
It is also desirable to produce a packaging machine which can be coupled to the output of the processing machinery which produces the primary product, for example a bottling or canning machine. It may be further desirable to reorganise the output stream of primary products to facilitate placement into a cartons.
In addition an objective of the present invention is to provide a packaging machine having a layout which is capable of processing a variety of different carton formats for example wrap around carton, basket carriers, fully enclosed cartons, and to be able to side or end load, top load or bottom load the chosen carton format. Furthermore it is desirable to be able to rapidly change the format or layout of the packaging machine to adapt to the carton format or loading method required.
It is further desirable to minimise the handling of products or packages to reduce the likelihood of damage to the same.
It is further desirable to reduce complexity of the machine and hence costs by minimising the costs for example by reducing the number of subsystems required to handle the articles and hence reduce the number of drive motors that need to be incorporated and controlled.